Training Summary - 29/7/09

No thanks to work commitments, we had a slightly smaller group this week. No matter. Training was no less fun (or tough, depending on who you ask):

1. Relaxed run (warmup)
2. Dynamic stretching (full body)
3. Frog jumps (legs)
4. Monkey trees (cardio and upper body)
5. Basic striking techniques (full body)
6. Slope shuttles (cardio)
7. Grappling/rolling (cardio and full body)

The frog jumps took their toll early on, with one member close to throwing up. Such a simple exercise, but beneficial if done properly. Moving on (reluctantly) to the next exercise, the group was introduced to monkey trees. This proved a real challenge to those who tried - nobody managed to complete a full rep. Technique had much to do with it. Remember:

1. Get a good grip with the legs.
2. Climb higher up on the tree using hip movement.
3. Move one part of the body at a time (ie. upper body, then lower body or vice versa).
4. Don't be afraid of falling, just go for it (it's not high enough to seriously hurt you).

We continued to improve on the basic fighting stance, jab, cross and 1-2. This week, the members also learned a new technique - the front kick. Just like last week, we limited it to kicking with the back leg only to keep things simple. I was quite impressed with Tong's kicks - sharp and with good power.

The official last exercise was slope shuttles, where the girls outclassed the boys by not only going for a longer duration, but completing the laps faster. Well done! To cap it off, I had a two-minute round with Tong, rolling for position. I think the BJJ classes with Team Mongooze did him good.

Judging from the condition of the group, it seemed that this week's session was the toughest yet. Did I make the class too hard? For twentysomethings with no physical defects, I don't think so. I think it was just a case of lungs, hearts and minds unaccustomed to proper training. Don't worry guys, you are slowly and steadily getting there.